Book Reviews

Christmas in Austin, by Benjamin Markovits

Books
Arts

In 'Christmas In Austin,' Family Struggles Are A Gift To Readers

10:00am November 17, 2019

by Michael Schaub

In Benjamin Markovits' new novel, a far-flung family reunites in their home town of Austin for Christmas, bringing all their baggage. And while it's an emotional book, it never descends into pathos.

The Pursuit of William Abbey, by Claire North

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Arts

'The Pursuit Of William Abbey' Travels A Twisty Path

7:00am November 17, 2019

by Jason Sheehan

Claire North's new book starts with a doctor witnessing an atrocity in Africa in 1884, but becomes a spy thriller, a horror story, a supernatural mystery and an indictment of capitalism and empire.

Books
Arts

'Bradley Of Him' Is A Surreally Fun Desert Run

7:00am November 16, 2019

by Etelka Lehoczky

Connor Willumson's graphic novel follows the trail of a mysterious athlete, or possibly an actor — gawky, pale, never takes his mirror shades off — running through the desert outside Las Vegas.

In 'A Warning,' An Invisible Hand Rings A Somber Alarm

1:23pm November 14, 2019

by Ron Elving

President Trump, we are told in this soon-to-be-published book, has destroyed the guardrails thoughtful people tried to erect around him. Further, he has banished nearly all those thoughtful people.

Queen of the Conquered, by Kacen Callender

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Arts

'Queen Of The Conquered' Serves Revenge With Delicacy And Savagery

7:00am November 14, 2019

by Jason Heller

In their new novel, Kacen Callender builds a vast, immersive landscape based on the colonial history of the Caribbean, but it's their morally conflicted heroine who will really hook readers.

Cover detail of The Great Pretender, by Susannah Cahalan

Books
Arts

'The Great Pretender' Investigates A Landmark Moment In Psychiatric History

4:09pm November 13, 2019

by Maureen Corrigan

In the '70s David Rosenhan and seven "pseudopatients" went undercover in mental health wards. Their resulting article rocked the psychiatric world. But Susannah Cahalan struggled to confirm the facts.

Queue Listen Now

Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale, by Adam Minter

What Happens To Your Used Stuff? 'Secondhand' Tells Of A Billion-Dollar Industry

8:42am November 13, 2019

by Gabino Iglesias

As "traditional bonds disintegrate in the face of industrialization, urbanization, and secularization, brands and objects become a means to curate and project who we are," writes reporter Adam Minter.

Books
Arts

'Mama Hissa's Mice' Creep Through A Dystopian Future Kuwait

7:00am November 13, 2019

by Ilana Masad

Saud Alsanousi's novel follows a group of Kuwaiti kids growing up in the 1980s — then jumps to a near future torn by sectarian violence. It's a resonant book that asks more questions than it answers.

Some Of Us Are Very Hungry Now, by Andre Perry

In 'Some Of Us Are Very Hungry Now,' Revelations Morph Into Mirrors

10:01am November 12, 2019

by Gabino Iglesias

Andre Perry's debut essay collection reads like a slightly fragmented memoir focused on the search for identity, the desire to write, and his constant sense of unease as a black man in Iowa City.

Former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley's repeated pledges of allegiance to Trump in her new memoir, With All Due Respect, may surprise those who thought Haley had left the administration halfway through her term as some sort of protest. Here, Haley is

In Memoir, Nikki Haley Hammers White House Team But Pledges Allegiance To Trump

10:50am November 11, 2019

by Ron Elving

In With All Due Respect, the former U.N. ambassador says Trump's ex-Chief of Staff John Kelly and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked her to help them "save the country" from the president.